More Americans Overweight, Diabetic

The latest National Health Interview Survey from the CDC delivers good news about smoking, but bad news about weight and weight-related problems.

Last year, 30.4 percent of Americans 20 and older called themselves obese. That continues a trend that’s been underway since 1997, when 19.4 percent of Americans called themselves “obese.”

More Americans -- 9.5 percent -- also report they have diabetes. That’s up from 5.1 percent in 1997. Dr. Michael W. Long of George Washington University says the jump in diabetes is likely linked to the increase in obesity.